| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, 15th May 1862 |
| |
| Capt. A. E. Barberville |
| AQM |
| Richmond, Va. |
| |
| Sir, |
| In reply to your letter of the 23rd ultimo
enclosing a statement of deficiencies on the saddles received at
Gordonsville during the months of March & April in the falling
back of our forces from Manassas. I have to inform you that a letter
has been received from H. W. Vandergrift Chief Eng. of the O&A RR {Orange
& Alexandria RR} in which he says that all the articles were loaded and unloaded by
Government orders and men and at such times and such places that it
was impossible for the Tail Road company to exercise any care over
them. Nor were they aware of the movements, or even the articles
loaded in the cars. The rail road company was morely transportation of
such cars as were loaded and by order of Maj. Barbour Chief Qr. Mr.
the amount was kept and charged by the car with contents unknown. And
thus the Cars were not again under the control of the Company until
they were unloaded. |
| If therefore the foregoing Statement of
the Chief Engr is correct and that the cars were taken by the Company
to the points and at the time instructed by the Government officers or
agents and there delivered safely, into the hands of the proper
officer or agent. I do not see that the Company is at all responsible
for any deficiencies that may appear in the public property
transported but such responsibility rests with the officers sending or
receiving the property according to the manner in which each performed
his duty. |
| A. C. Myers, Q. M. Genl. |
|